ABSTRACT
Introduction: The term "maskne" originated during the SARS CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic; it is a variant of acne associated with continuous wearing of face mask. Maskne is mainly observational, and the most common cause of maskne is contact irritant dermatitis. Materials and methods: The average mask use percentage by OPD cases visiting the hospital for a month in each wave of the COVID -19, that is, in the month of June 2020 during the first wave, in the month of April 2021 during the second wave and in the month of December 2021 during the third wave was calculated. We also included 30 patients with a diagnosis of irritant contact dermatitis aka maskne and 30 patients with diagnosis of acne vulgaris, all >18 years of age from April 2020 to December 2021. Results: 66% of people wore masks coming to hospital in the month of June 2020 (first wave) which increased to 74% during the second wave in the month of April 2021 and during the third wave only 23% of people wore masks in the month of December 2021. Conclusion: Maskne and worsening of acne vulgaris can be due to wearing of dirty face masks for longer duration. Use of moisturizers and regular "mask breaks" are important aspects in management of maskne.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) is a disease caused by a virus named SARS-CoV-2 and was discovered in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, a global threat has largely affected the country's economic and social values. Moreover, the mitigation strategies being used to counterattack the pandemic attributes a lot of unrest and stress in the masses which has led to several mental health problems like anxiety, depression, sleep loss, post-traumatic stress disorder, etc. Objective: In this study, the impact of lockdown on mental health and its related disorders was observed. Method: A total of 367 patients from 69 villages of Narwana sub-division, Haryana, India was included in this study and their mental health status was assessed using Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI). Results: Out of the 367 mental health-related patients, half of them (~ 48%) showed the signs of depression ranging from mild to severe. Also, 40% of the patients showed signs and symptoms of anxiety, fear and stress and (~15%) showed signs of sleep loss. Women (~58%) were significantly found to be more prone to mental illness and psychiatric disorders than men (~42%). This study also reports the increase in domestic violence cases during the lockdown period. The study presents a clear understanding that although lockdown and social isolation helps in achieving the goal of reducing infections, a restricted access of social support systems leads to loneliness and various mental issues including anxiety and depression. Conclusion: We conclude that COVID-19 is a big threat to women safety and health especially in rural population and as the crisis evolves and continues, it is very essential to raise awareness and psychological counseling among the masses.